Dishwashing, sterilizing, and drying machine



y 9, 1929- I J. L. BRETON 1.720.622

DISHWASHING, STER'ILIZING, AND DRYING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 8, 1923 3 sheetssheet 1 Fig.1

duLss Lou/s Basra Afro/men? y 9, 1929- Y J. L. BRETON 1.720.622

DISHWASHING, STERILIZING, AND DRYING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 8, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR :JULES Lou/s 5R5 r0 HT ORNE Y5 y 9, 1929- J. L. BRETON 1.720.622

DISHWASHING, STERILIZING, AND DRYING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 8, 1925 3 Sheets-sh t 3 a 7706/? a JQZGS LOuISfi Y/U/Z 9.1929; UNITED STATES 1,720,622 PATENT. OFFICE.

TUBES LOUIS BRETON OI' BELLEWI, FRANCE.

DISHWASHING, STEBIIJZING, AND DRYING IACHIiIEw Original application filed November 8, 1928, Serial No. 678,542, and in France Kay 7, 1828. Divided and this application filed June 3, 1925.

The application is a divisional application of application Serial Number 673,542, filed Nov. 8, 1923, which has since matured into Patent No. 1,656,139 of Jan. 10, 1928.

This invention refers to improvements in that type of machine for washing dishes comprising dish baskets which move along rails in a rectilinear tunnel under the successive action of jets of washing water, ets of rinsing water and currents of drying air, supplied by centrifugal pumps and in the case of the water, drawing from feed tanks one of which overflows into the other.

The said improvements consist chiefly: 1. In the projection of washing and rinsing water by means of a series of centrifugal pumps the rotors of which are keyed to the same shaft and the feed tanks of whlch are disposed in cascade so that the washing water, which circulates in a direction contrary to that of the dishes, is successively taken up by the Various pumps. Owing to this device 1t is possible to rinse dishes with perfectly clean water, to conclude the washing with water that is hardly soiled and to start the washing with the water which had been used for rinsing and washing the dishes which were the first to pass through the tunnel of the ma- I chine. 2. In the use of a centrifugal fan drawing in the air of the tunnel and the vapours produced by the washing andproducing in the apparatus a suction drawing a current. of air for drying the dishes while discharging to the exterior all the vapours and odours due to the operation of the ma chine. .The hot washing water is thus used rationally and completely so that the quantity thereof is reduced to a minimum, and thus considerable economy of water and fuel is effected.

The centrifugal fan whichdraws in the air in the apparatus, produces a suction therein which prevents any escape of vapours and odours through the various openings through which the air enters which is required for quickly drying the plates.

'The appended drawing shows by way of example a constructional form of said machine.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the front part of the machine, showing the basket movin mechanism and the saw teeth like disposltion of the bottom of the washisg casmg.

Figure 2 is a cross-section showing the dis- Serial No. 84,685.

position of the water jet tubes which are fed y means of one of the centrifugal pumps.

Figure 3 represents the whole of the machine with its motor.

Figure 4 illustrates diagrammatically the path of the washing water and the air.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the pump feeding tank.

The casing 1 forms a sort of tunnel havin below and at the sides of the same the feed tanks 2 of the turbine pumps 4 which latter and the centrifu al fan 3 are driven by the motor 13 throug the single shaft 15.

The dish-holding baskets 6 provided with the rollers 9 roll upon the rails 8 traversing the tunnel of the machine and extending outwardly at each side as far as desired for the proper handling of the soiled dishes and for the transportion of the washed dishes. Upon arriving near the machine, the baskets are moved forward at the proper speed for the best washing, by an endless chain 12 along which are spaced the arms 14 co-operating with pivoting tappets 16 which are able to swing out of the path of the arms 14 in the direction contrary to the travel, thus facilitating their engagement. In fact, these tappets can swing about their axis of pivoting only in a direction contrary to the travel of the baskets, due to the fact that their heel abuts 'in the other direction against the bottom of the basket. Y

When a basket is pushed in the direction of its travel at a greater rate than that of the driving chain, the tappet swings when it meets one of the driving fingers of this chain, asd this allows the same to pass beyond this finger and then to fall back into a position in which it can be pushed by this finger when the speed of the basket will have become smaller than that of the chain. The said chain is driven by the motor 13 actuating the pumps and blower, by means of the shaft 15 and the speed-reducing device of the worm type 10.

When driven by the chain, the basket willpush the forwardly situated baskets already within the tunnel and will move along as far as the outlet; in this manner the whole aggregate of the mechanical device for moving the baskets will be located entirely without the tunnel and out of reach of the washing 4 upon the dishes which have already been washed by water discharged on them from centrifugal pumps, and thus provides for the complete rinsing and sterilizing of the dishes; this water falls upon the last of the saw tooth portions 21, Figure 1, situated at the bottom of the tunnel, and is thence returned through the trough 22 and the channel 23, Figure 2, to the feed tank of the last centrifugal pump. The water is taken up by this latter and 1s again discharged upon the dishes through the perforated pipe 30 (Figure 4) then returning to the starting point. But since a slight su ply of hot water is constantly afior ed, t e additional water escapes through the overflow 24 into the chamber of the preceding pump and is discharged by the latter, and then proceeds slowl towards the succeeding pumps and towar s the inlet of the dishes into the apparatus. 'Wire gauze filtering members are placed above the feed tanks of the centrifugal pumps in order to retain any waste material from the soiled dishes and to provide for the removal of the same.

The diagrammatic Figure 4 explains clearly the washing thus effected and shows the path followed by the washing water, from 1ts admission intothe apparatus to its d15- charge into the drain. The arrows show its direction. Coming from the hot water pi e, the washing water, projected through t e holes of the pipe 25, dro s, after having rinsed for the last time the dis es, into the feed tank 26 of the last centrifugal pump 27. It is drawn b the said pump through the pipe 28 and disc arged through the pipe 29 into the perforated pipes 30 and 31 which project it again against the dishes, whence it drops back into the same tank 26 in order to e drawn again by the same pump 27; as, however, a certain quantity of hot water is admitted continuously through the pipe 25, a portion of the contents of the tank 26 escapes through the overflow 32 into the tank 33 feeding the pump 34. This pump, drawing water from the said tank through the pipe 35, discharges it through the pipe 36 into the perforated pipes 37 and 38 which project it once more against the dishes whence it drops back into the same tank 33. Here again, an excess of water being continuously admitted into the said tank through the overflow 32 of the preceding tank, the said surplus water escapes through the overflow 39 into the next tank 40. Drawn by the pump 41 through the pipe 42, this water is discharged through the pipe 43 into the projection pipes 44 and 45 which project it once more against the dishes, whence it falls back again into the same tank 40. In the same way, the overflow 46 of this tank discharges into the next tank 47 which feeds, through the pipe 48, the first pump 49 which, through the pipe 50 and the perfo rated pipes 51 and 52, projects the washing water for a last time on the dishes introduced into the apparatus. This water, carrying with it the dbris still adhering to the dishes, falls back into the tank 47 after having passed through the metal gauze 53 which holds back the said dbris; finally the overflow of the last tank 47 discharges directly into the drain through the pipe 54. The path of the air is shown by the arrows c.

In this manner the washing water which is delivered to the apparatus in an almost boiling state in order to completely sterilize the dishes, proceeds in the contrary direction to the movement of the dishes, becoming cooled as well as soiled according as it heats and washes the dishes so that the first washing is commenced by the least clean water whose temperature has fallen to the proper degree in order to remove in the best conditions the sugars and fatty substances without coagulating the albumens. It sufiices to regulate the hot water supply to the apparatus so that the water of the feed tank of the last pump shall be perfectly clean, in order to ensure an approved washing with the minimum amount of hot water.

After this methodical washing has been performed, the dishes, which are finally rinsed and sterilized by a stream of water discharged directly from the supply conduit 25 of the machine, proceed before the suction orifice 55 of the centrifugal air fan 3 which performs the drying operation while taking up and discharging to the outside all the vapours and odours due to the operation of the said machine.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. In a dish washing, sterilizing and drying machine, the combination of a washing tunnel, open at both ends, dish holding baskets and means for moving the same throu h the said tunnel, means for projecting was ing and rinsing water upon the dishes contained in the said dish-holding baskets, a series of water tanks placed below the said tunnel, a series of pumps the inlet pipes of which are connected to said tanks and the discharge pipes of which are connected to the said means for projecting the washing water upon the dishes, a pipe entering the said tunnel and serving to project boiling and clear water upon the dishes, means for collecting the water projected by said pipe entering the tunnel and the water projected from the first pump and for brin ing said water into the first tank, an overflow through which the water in excess from the first tank flows into the second tank, means for collecting the washing water projected upon the dishes by the second pump and for returning it into the second tank, a last overflow through which the water in excess of the last tank flows into the sewer, the said dish holding basket moving in such a manner that the dishes contained in said baskets pass successively under the washing means from the last to the first pump and finally under the water jets projected by said pipe for feeding boiling and clear water.

2. In a dish washing, sterilizing and drying machine, the combination of a washing tunnel open at both ends, dish-holding baskets adapted to move in the said tunnel, entering at one of the ends and coming out at the other, means for projecting washing and rinsing' water upon the dishes contained in the said dish-holding baskets, a blower whose suction pipe starts from the interior of the tunnel and whose exhaust pipe opens outside the said tunnel, t' adapted to suck the air and the vapours contained in the said tunnel and to prevent the escape of the said vapours through the open ends of the said tunnel.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

JULES LOUIS BRETON.

he sald blower being 

